Freedom Fighters (Xbox)
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Freedom Fighters (Xbox)
In a world where the Soviet Union won the Cold War, a fierce conflict is beginning to unfold in the streets of America. Red Army troops are pouring across the borders of Mexico and Canada shortly after a nuclear missile is unleashed on Washington D.C. Chaos sets in when breaking news informs Americans that their President has been killed and the Russians have invaded the country.
Publisher: EA Games
Developer: Io Interactive
Genre: Action
Release Date: 10/01/2003
A quick review. If you've ever thought you had a shitty day at work, at least you aren't in the shoes of mild mannered plummer for hire, Christoper Stone. The plot is a fictional spinoff of the Cold War, only telling the story as if the Soviet Union won. The setting is a war torn New York City.
One day, while making a house call to fix some rusty pipes in a broken down apartment, Chris and his brother are taken capture by Soviet militia. In a matter of one cutscene cinema at the very beginning of the game, Chris escapes capture, gets aid from rebel resistance (aka FREEDOM FIGHTERS), and ends up in the sewers getting nominated to head a mission to free one of the resistance's top leaders. Did I mention he's armed only with the wrench he uses to fix waterpipes? I can hear Solid Snake's screams of injustice all the way from videogame land. All he ever got was a pack of smokes..
What really dig about this game is feeling I get blasting the "Redcoats" to hell and back in a struggle to gain territory thruout the city. The main objective is to fight your way thru the streets, and thru buildings. The territory is controlled when Chris gets to the flagpole, takes down the Soviet flag and replaces it with an American flag.
Although the war tactics in this game are about as generic as a Dolf Lundgren war flick, the player gets a real sence of tactical warfare when the plan calls for blowing up a helicopter landing pad with C4 explosives, thus crippling Soviet reinforcements and airstrikes, and finally making it easier for Chris and his band of Freedom Fighters to seize the movie theatre, which oddly enough has become a critical base of operations..
Yeah, Dolf does this type shit on the daily..
One difference, however, is that Chris isn't cut out to handle these important missions alone. He has to earn Charisma points. These points are earned for doing good deeds such as healing wounded citizens, or by doing key objectives that keep the game's story moving. The more Charisma points he earns, the more Freedom Fighters he can have at his disposal (up to 12 by the end of the game I believe), and by disposal I mean just that. The phrase "BulletSponge" comes to mind (credit for that one goes to my brother!).
If at any time Chris is low on medpacks, hard up for a save point, or just doesn't feel like doing the job himself, with the click of a button he can tell his men to hold position, move out, or regroup. It's simple yet effective. It's a real pleasure telling soldiers to charge into a warehouse filled with Soviet scum while Chris stands outside in the clear waiting to count the bodies of resistance forces when all the machine gun fire stops. It's nothing to mourn over though. Just throw a medpack on top of the dead body and they spring back to life! If you really want to be an asshole, just leave them dead and recruit someone else. There are groups of Freedom Fighters hanging around here and there that are more than willing to fight to the death at Chris' side.
The controls are pretty straight forward. It's nothing to get worked up about. It is a real pain having to click in and hold the left thumbstick to go from 3rd person view to a view for more percise aiming. I wouldn't call it a 1st person view though. As a matter of fact, the percise aiming isn't exactly percise seeing as how they got machine gun recoil down to an lifelike imitation. The only time it really comes in handy is when Chris is behind cover shooting at something or someone that isn't running around like a jackass, or when using a sniper rifle.
The AI, as I just mentioned, isn't that bad either. If you shoot at someone and miss, 9 times out of 10 they don't keep standing there waiting for you to hit the 2nd time.
The soundtrack REALLY compliments the mood of this game. It has all the war dramatic highs and lows, and the inspirational bits for "we will never surrender" history book speeches.
The graphics are nice, but I wouldn't call the games look anything better than good enough. It's not an eyesore by any means, but I have seen better, and you probably have too. You know what I mean!
OVERALL:
The game is an awesome run and gun tactical war game. There is a stragety element, but if you are feeling saucy enough, it can be tossed right out the window. It puts you right in the middle of every single Sylvester Stallone and Chuck Norris movie ever made. All the classic elements are there, and most time extremely overused. How many times do I really have to blow up a bridge or a helicopter landing pad with C4? Apparently to battle the Soviets, about 500 times..
It's easy to just pick up and play. The story and the awesome gameplay are just clever enough to keep you coming back. Freedom Fighters certainly doesn't rewrite gaming history, but it's definately worth trying out, and for the low price of $19.99!
..and if you want an inside tip, I scored this jewel for 15 bucks at Gamestop. It's probably that much at Electronics Boutique too. Just sniff out a bargain and go for it...or rent it. I beat this game more or less in one sitting, starting at 8am this morning and finishing off those Soviet bastards once and for all around 10pm...with a few hours break here and there. I do love days off from work!
FINAL ANSWER:
Dolf Lundgren gives Freedom Fighters for the Xbox (or Ps2, Gamecube, and PC) a 4 out of 5 that would make Adam Sessler proud :)
